Chapter 268: Shadows Awaken

The eerie voice lingered in the air, sending a shiver through Kael and his companions. Though the altar was destroyed and many Reapers fell, the warning was clear — a greater threat loomed.

"Who was that?" Veyna asked, scanning the fading shadows.

Kael didn't answer immediately. Instead, he crouched by the shattered altar, examining the fragments glowing faintly with residual dark energy.

Ashara stepped closer. "The Void is responding. The Reapers' ritual has opened a crack... but it's unstable."

Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet. From the depths of the mist, a colossal figure emerged — a being wreathed in shadow and flame, its eyes burning with ancient fury.

"The Guardian of the Veil," Ashara whispered, her voice tense. "It's bound to the gateway. If it awakens fully, it could consume us all."

Kael gripped his sword tightly. "We fight to close this gate — or we die trying."

The beast roared, and the battle for their world escalated into a struggle not just against men, but against the very darkness itself.